Alfredo Morelos Copa America Preview

WHILE we’ve spent this week building up to the Euros beginning tonight, across the Atlantic, another major international tournament will soon be underway with Rangers involvement.

Alfredo Morelos’ place at Copa America in Brazil has been confirmed, and with the rather convoluted format the competition follows, there are some terrific games for El Bufalo and his nation to look forward to.

He joins a hugely talented squad of players from all across the globe, and a host of familiar names like Davinson Sanchez, Yerry Mina and Juan Cuadrado.

Kicking off their five team Group B on Monday morning (1am UK time), they take on Ecuador in Cuiabe before traveling to face Venezuela in Goiania on Thursday at 10pm.

They then stay in Goiania for their match against Peru on June 21 (again kicking-off at 1am) before ending in Rio against the hosts on June 24 at 1am.

Four of the five teams in each group makes it through to the quarter-finals, and Colombia, with the level of player they have in their squad, will be expected to make it into the next phase.

There, they are set to face one of Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Chile or Paraguay on July 2/3, with the semi finals on July 5/6 and the final at the Maracana on July 10.

El Bufalo heads into the tournament off the back of another super Rangers season, with a total of 17 goals to his name – five of them coming in the Europa League and two in the Old Firm fixture.

Despite the fantastic names to have emerged from Colombia over the years, however, only once have they claimed the Copa America title – that coming back in 2001, when they won it as hosts.

 

COLOMBIA SQUAD

 

Goalkeepers: David Ospina (Napoli), Camilo Vargas (Atlas), Aldair Quintana (Atlético Nacional).

Defenders: Carlos Cuesta Figueroa (Genk), Daniel Muñoz Mejía (Genk), Dávinson Sánchez (Tottenham) John Lucumí (Genk), Yerry Mina (Everton), Oscar Murillo (Pachuca), Stefan Medina (Monterrey), William Tesillo (Club León).

Midfielders: Baldomero Perlaza (Atlético Nacional), Edwin Cardona (Boca Juniors), Gustavo Cuéllar (Al Hilal); Jáminton Campaz (Deportes Tolima), Juan Ferney Otero (Santos Laguna), Juan Guillermo Cuadrado, (Juventus), Matheus Uribe (Porto), Sebastián Pérez (Boavista), Wílmar Barrios (Zenit), Yairo Moreno (Pachuca), Yimmy Chará (Portland Timbers), Luis Diaz Marulanda (Porto).

Forwards: Alfredo Morelos (Rangers); Duván Zapata (Atalanta), Luis Fernando Muriel (Atalanta), Miguel Borja (Junior), Rafael Santos Borré (River Plate).

COLOMBIA FIXTURES

 

Monday June 14, 1am (BST): Colombia v Equador

Thursday June 17, 10pm (BST): Colombia v Venezuela

Monday June 21, 1am (BST): Colombia v Peru

Thursday June 24, 1am (BST): Brazil v Colombia

LAST FIVE MAJOR TOURNAMENTS

WC 2018 – Last 16

CA 2019 – Quarter-Finals

CA 2016 – Third Place

CA 2015 - Quarter-Finals

WC 2014 – Quarter-Finals